3 Tips for Hiring Managers Preparing to Recruit

It's time to hire someone new to your team. Unfortunately, your day job doesn't go on hold while you recruit. Here are some simple tips to help you prepare for your recruitment exercise, to give you a better chance of success, with minimal disruption. Before jumping into recruitment, make sure you have a clear understanding of your needs and build a realistic plan.

Build a profile

Think about the type of person who will work best in the role and with the team, but keep an open mind to candidates with transferable skills.

What are the skills/knowledge/experience required for the role? Be clear on what is really essential versus the 'nice to have's.

Consider what gaps you have in your team and what skills/characteristics would benefit and help fill them.

Think of past successes/failures – consider targeting a specific industry background/source of candidate/work style that has worked well in the role previously.

Consider flexible work options to expand the candidate pool - full time versus part time, location, work from home, job share, etc.

Have a plan

Think about the timeframes for recruitment and your commitment to the process.

When do you need the person to start? If it is an immediate vacancy, what is a realistic timeframe to work toward? (Consider time for the selection process, pre-employment checks and notice periods.)

Is the role likely to be filled internally? Have you identified any potential internal candidates? Will you need to open the role to external candidates?

What is your availability throughout this period? Do you have any leave, travel or training planned?

What level of involvement will you have throughout the recruitment process? Think of your availability for reviewing response, screening, interviewing and reference checks. Consider partnering with internal recruitment, RPO or an agency to free up your time.

Sourcing strategy

Fish in the right pools. To find the best talent, you need to make your role attractive and ensure you reach your target audience. Decide on which sourcing channels will work best for your vacancy. Don't just rely on one source – the more relevant sourcing channels on which you can promote your vacancy, the more likely your ideal candidate will have to find it. Sell the opportunity. To attract talent you need to have a job advertisement that sells the opportunity – give the reader a reason to be interested in this job or working with your team or joining your organisation. The interview is your chance to drill down into the details and test for the right fit – but, first things first, you need to entice people to apply. Step into the job seekers' shoes and focus more on what's in it for them, rather than just your list of requirements. Include specific details about what makes this a good opportunity or why they should be more excited about this job than a similar role with a competitor. Now that you have a plan, you can put it into action and start your recruitment campaign. Of course, if it still sounds daunting, I know some people who can help!